System for multiple harnessing and complemented conversion of energy from sea waves

ABSTRACT

System for multiple harnessing and complemented conversion of energy from sea waves. The system includes a structure of vertical guides along which the central floating body moves, a submerged captive-air tank, held up by the floating body, with the body and the tank so arranged that the movement of the submerged tank is contrary to that of the central floating body. The movement of the central floating body and of the submerged tank is transmitted to the means of conversion of the movement into pneumatic, electrical or hydraulic energy. The system shows high energy harnessing efficiency.

This invention relates to a system for multiple harnessing andcomplemented conversion of energy from sea waves.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Known in the art are systems for generating energy from sea waves basedon the utilisation of the buoyant forces that act on a floating bodyanchored or ballasted on the seabed. The working travel the floatingbody effects under the action of the buoyant forces is used to obtainenergy.

Such simple systems that harness energy by flotation nevertheless havethe disadvantage that the travel used to harness power proportionallyreduces the travel devoted to carrying out work. The capacity of thebuoyant generators is therefore limited always by the dimensions of thefloating body, wave height and wave frequency per minute.

Energy harnessing systems that make use of buoyant forces are clean andsimple, but rather uncompetitive systems, if the necessary dimensionsand the low harnessing of energy are taken into account. These aretechniques in need of a substantial increase in energy harnessing andconversion if the installation is to be made profitable.

Also known are systems such as those described above which include atleast one floating body ballasted or anchored onto the seabed, and meansfor conversion of the vertical movement of the floating body intopneumatic, electrical or hydraulic energy.

Such systems nevertheless have the disadvantage of harnessing andtransforming only part of the natural forces contained in the waves,namely the forces due to thrust, also called buoyant forces.

Also known are systems for generating energy from sea waves which,instead of the buoyant forces, take advantage of the natural forcesproduced by the changes of water column brought about by the sea waves.Such systems nevertheless again have the disadvantage of only partiallyharnessing the energy contained in the sea waves.

Unknown as yet are systems for generating energy from sea waves whichtake advantage both of the buoyant forces and the natural forcesproduced by changes of water column occasioned by sea waves.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The objective of this invention is to resolve the disadvantagesmentioned by developing a system for multiple harnessing andcomplemented conversion of energy from sea waves which, in addition tousing the buoyant forces also uses the forces produced by changes ofwater column occasioned by sea waves.

In accordance with this objective, the system of this invention ischaracterised in that it includes a structure of vertical guides alongwhich said central floating body moves, a submerged captive-air tankopen at its lower base, held up by said floating body and also movablealong said structure of vertical guides, means for transmitting themovement of said floating body to said submerged tank, with the body andthe tank so arranged that the movement of the submerged tank is contraryto that of the floating body, the movement of the central floating bodyand of the submerged tank being transmitted via means of transmission ofthe movement to said means of conversion of the movement into pneumatic,electrical or hydraulic energy.

Thanks to these characteristics the system shows high energy harnessingefficiency since it manages at low cost to harness most of the energypresent in a renewable source of energy such as the energy contained insea waves. It is a system that permits the multiple harnessing andcomplemented conversion of energy.

The multiple harnessing of energy is that due to the thrust of the wavesthemselves and the pressures of the water column on the captive air ofthe submerged tank. The complemented conversion of energy is due to thecomplementary action exercised between the central floating body and thesubmerged tank.

In accordance with the invention, the system includes at least oneperipheral floating body having a density of 0.5 g/cc, attached to saidstructure of vertical guides, which compensates the mass and thrustvariations exerted by the oscillatory operation of the system.Preferably, said at-least-one peripheral floating body has a ring shapesurrounding the vertical guides structure.

Due to said peripheral floating body a vertical position of the guidesstructure can be achieved which is unrelated to and unaffected by themovement of the waves and can optimally and effectively take advantageboth of the buoyant forces of the central floating body and the forcesproduced by the pressure variations due to changes of water column onthe captive air in the submerged tank.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, said centralfloating body preferably includes a receptacle with air under pressure,at least one pneumatic actuator mounted inside said receptacle, with theupper chamber of said actuator connected to the submerged tank and thelower chamber, which is open at its base and exposed to the air underpressure of said receptacle.

The at-least-one pneumatic actuator is preferably a cylinder.

Thanks to this characteristic, the small water-column variations thatoccur practically from the start of the ascending or descending travelof the floating body give rise to an exchange of air volumes between theupper chambers of the pneumatic actuators or cylinders and the submergedair tank. These pressure changes and air-volume exchanges generateforces which complement the buoyant forces and act with maximumintensity from practically the start of the floating body's workingtravel.

Preferably, said movement transmission means include a rotationinverter, a multiplier, a variable speed device and a flywheel.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said means ofmovement transmission further include a toothed rack engaging at each ofits sides two gearwheels which transmit the movement of the floatingbody to said rotation inverter.

Advantageously, the piston rod of said at-least-one pneumatic cylinderincludes means for driving a moving platform located on the upperreceptacle of the central floating body and traversed by the toothedrack, with the gearwheels mounted rotating on the platform.

Thanks to these characteristics, the forces generated with the exchangeof air volumes between the upper chambers of the cylinders and thesubmerged tank are used by the central floating body cylindersthemselves to drive the moving platform traversed by the toothed rack.The driving of the platform is translated into a change of thetransmission point and, therefore, into an extension of the workingtravel runs of the central floating body, so that the energy conversionof the system is complemented thereby.

Preferably, said means for conversion of the movement into energycomprise at least one electrical generator, one pneumatic pump or onehydraulic pump.

Preferably, too, the system includes telescopic tubes which house atleast the means of transmission of the movement of the floating body tothe submerged tank and the toothed rack.

Thanks to these telescopic tubes, the described items housed inside themare protected against the direct action of the sea water.

In accordance with the invention, the system includes a plurality ofmodules, each of which has a central floating body and a submergedcaptive-air tank, attached to the central floating body.

The modular design permits the construction of banks of buoyant units ormodules.

Preferably, each one of said banks includes a structure which linkstogether at the top ends the vertical guide structures of the variousmodules making up the bank. Advantageously, said upper structureincludes watertight modular compartments which include, for each module,the transmission elements that in turn include the gearwheels and therotation inverter. Also preferably, the toothed rack of each one of saidmodules is attached onto the platform of each module's central floatingbody and is of sufficient length to engage the gearwheels located in thecorresponding watertight compartment of said upper structure of thearray. Advantageously, each of the banks includes a ballast common toall the modules, a single ballast chain or cable connected to aswivelling mooring located on said ballast and a single transmissioncable to take the energy to dry land.

Thanks to these described characteristics of the modular design, theupper structure of each of the banks can have a common transmissionshaft which receives the forces harnessed by each buoyant unit or moduleof the bank. This common shaft transmits the harnessed forces to amultiplier, a variable speed device, a flywheel and, finally, to asingle piece of energy-conversion equipment, with all these means oftransmission and equipment being located on the upper structure of thebank.

According to a preferred embodiment, said central floating body has acavity containing captive air inside it.

Thanks to the fact that the central floating body has a captive-aircavity inside it, any vertical movement produces an alteration of theair volume. This alteration is translated into forces which are added tothe forces of harnessing and releasing the thrust of the waves of themasses, at changes of direction, thereby leading to an increase in theworking travel effected by said central floating body. Moreover, theforces that give rise to the change of volume of said captive air, byacting in a direction opposite to the thrust or weight of the submergedtank, assist the direction change of the central floating body at theends of the wave-travel runs.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the systemfurther includes a plurality of peripheral floating bodies, attached tosaid central floating body by means of tilting attachment structures.

The presence of these peripheral floating bodies boosts the system'scomplemented energy conversion, due to the complementary actionexercised between the central floating body and the peripheral floatingbodies.

Advantageously, said means of converting the movement into energyfurther include a number of pneumatic cylinders actuated by said tiltingattachment structures.

Preferably, said peripheral floating bodies each include two peripheralpneumatic cylinders which compress the air from one of the cylinders ofthe central floating body, the tilting structure of each one of thefloating body cylinders including a bar articulated at one end onto therod of said cylinder and at the other end onto a lever whose ends are inturn articulated onto the ends of the peripheral pneumatic cylinderrods, with the distance between the two points of articulation onto saidbar being substantially the same as the distance between the crest andthe trough of a wave.

Advantageously, one of the two peripheral pneumatic cylinders compressesthe air from the other peripheral pneumatic cylinder.

Advantageously, each one of the pneumatic cylinders of the centralfloating body and the two corresponding peripheral pneumatic cylindersconstitutes three-stage linear pneumatic pumps.

Preferably, the compressed air produced by the system is stored in thechambers of each one of said peripheral floating bodies.

Alternatively, the system further includes a number of reverse osmosismembranes for directly converting the hydraulic energy obtained intodesalinated water.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of all that has been explained some drawingsare attached which, schematically and solely by way of non-restrictiveexample, show two practical cases of embodiment.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a section view in elevation of a first preferred embodiment ofthe system of the invention, in the calm sea position. FIG. 1 a is adetail of the floating bodies of that section.

FIG. 2 is a section view in elevation of the first preferred embodimentof the system of the invention, in the crest-of-the-wave position.

FIG. 3 is a section view in elevation of the first preferred embodimentof the system of the invention, in the trough-of-the-wave position.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a cross-section of the upper part of thefirst preferred embodiment of the system of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a section view in elevation of a second preferred embodimentof the system of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a section view in elevation showing a part of the secondpreferred embodiment of the system of the invention, in thecrest-of-the-wave position.

FIG. 7 is a section view in elevation showing a part of the secondpreferred embodiment of the system of the invention, in the calm seaposition. FIG. 7 a is a detail of the central floating body of thissection.

FIG. 8 is a section view in elevation showing a part of the secondpreferred embodiment of the system of the invention, in thetrough-of-the-wave position.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing the means of mechanical transmissionand the means of energy conversion of the second preferred embodiment ofthe system of the invention, arranged on the moving platform of theupper watertight receptacle of the floating body.

DESCRIPTION OF TWO PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1, 1 a, 2, 3 and 4 of this invention show a first practicalembodiment of the system for multiple harnessing and complementedconversion of energy from sea waves, which includes a central floatingbody 1, three peripheral floating bodies 2 a, 2 b, 2 c attached to saidfloating body 1, and a submerged tank 4 for captive air 5, also attachedto said central floating body 1 and open at its lower part to permit theentry of sea water 6.

The central floating body 1 is made up of cylindrical ring partiallyintegrated into another hemispherical body, in such a way that bothbodies form a cavity which contains captive air 7 and sea water 6 insideit. The interior of this cavity houses a watertight oval body 8, partlyintegrated into the hemispherical body. The watertight oval body 8 hasinside it, among other components, a rotation inverter mechanism 9comprising two smooth or toothed wheels which engage two belts, chainsor cables 11 attached in turn to the pulleys 10 and hold up thesubmerged tank 4 at their opposite end. Both the central floating body 1and the submerged tank 4 move vertically along a rectangular structure12 made of tubular steel, carbon or fibreglass. Both bodies aredynamically linked through the belts, chains or cables 11 and thepulleys 10. The upper base of the rectangular structure 12 has anacoustic and visual signal, and the structure is anchored at its lowerpart to concrete structures 13 set on the seabed. Said structure ofvertical guides 12 keeps the central floating body 1 and the submergedtank 4 aligned in order to avoid lateral movements.

The rectangular structure 12 is anchored to the concrete structure 13set down on the seabed by means of the chains 14 and the pulleys 15which constitute a double anchorage system that would only act underextreme sea conditions, allowing the system to withstand waves over 14metres in height.

The three peripheral floating bodies 2 a, 2 b, 2 c are attached to thecentral floating body 1 via a tilting structure 16 made of steel. Thedistance between the centre of the central float 1 and the end of thetilting structure 16, attached to the peripheral floats 2 a, 2 b, 2 c,coincides with the nominal distance between troughs and crests of thewaves at a given point in the sea.

The central floating body 1 has three pneumatic cylinders 17 a, 17 b, 17c for compressed-air production and including an air intake 18 atatmospheric pressure. Each one of these cylinders is attached to aperipheral floating body 2 a, 2 b, 2 c by means of the tilting structure16. This structure 16 includes a bar 19 articulated at one end onto therod of a pneumatic cylinder 17 of the central body 1, and at the otherend onto a lever 20, whose ends are in turn articulated onto the ends ofthe rods of two peripheral pneumatic cylinders 21 a, 21 b. Theseperipheral pneumatic cylinders 21 a, 21 b are mounted inside each of theperipheral floating bodies 2 a, 2 b, 2 c.

The cylinders, both of the central floating body 1 and of the peripheralfloating bodies 2 a, 2 b, 2 c, are driven via the tilting structures 16which transmit the cyclical movement those bodies make under the actionof the sea waves.

The peripheral pneumatic cylinders 21 a, 21 b compress the air underpressure that comes through the duct 22 of the respective cylinder 17,located in the hemispherical body of the central float 1. The cylindersof the central floating body and of the peripheral floating bodies 2 a,2 b, 2 c constitute a three-stage linear pneumatic pump which convertsthe harnessed energy to pressurised air which is stored in theperipheral floating bodies 2 a, 2 b, 2 c themselves.

The central floating body 1 also has, inside its watertight oval body 8,a three-stage pneumatic rotary pump 23. This pump 23 is driven by arotation inverter mechanism 9 through a flywheel 24 and a variable speeddevice which, together with the pulleys 10 and belts, chains or cables11, transmits the cyclical vertical movement made by the centralfloating body 1 and the submerged tank 4 due to the action of the seawaves. The compressed air through the pneumatic rotary pump 23 is alsostored, via the duct 25, in the peripheral floating bodies 2 a, 2 b, 2c.

The pressurised air accumulated in the peripheral floating bodies 2 a, 2b, 2 c is taken to dry land or to a fixed structure through the ducts 26which carry the pressurised air to a compressed air accumulator tanksituated in the coastal zone.

The system of the invention for the generation of energy from sea wavesis a system for multiple harnessing and complemented conversion ofenergy.

The multiple harnessing is due to harnessing the thrust of the wavesthemselves and of the water-column pressures on the captive air in thesubmerged tank 4 and the floating body 1. The complemented conversion ofenergy is due to the complementary action which is exercised:

-   between the central floating body 1 and the submerged tank 4;-   between the central floating body 1 and the peripheral floating    bodies 2 a, 2 b, 2 c;-   in the central floating body 1 itself, due to the captive air 7 that    body contains.

The complemented action between the central floating body 1 and thesubmerged tank 4 arises from changes in the pressure of the captive air5 that tank contains, due to the changes of water column it undergoes.

As FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show, the central floating body 1, when it movesdriven by the energy of the sea waves, transmits that movement to thesubmerged tank 4 through the pulleys 10 and the belts, chains or cables11. The submerged tank 4 moves in inverse direction to the movement ofthe central floating body 1, so that when the central floating body 1 isdriven upwards by the waves the submerged tank 4 moves down and awayfrom the surface. The travel undergone by the submerged tank 4 is thesame as that of the central floating body 1, although it must beemphasised that the water column the tank gains under the thrust of thewave is always double the travel effected by the floating body 1.

As the submerged tank 4 moves away from the surface and the water columnit bears increases, water 6 enters the tank 4, which gains weight andcompresses the captive air 5 contained inside it. When the thrust of thewaves on the central floating body 1 decreases, the captive air 5 tendsto expand, so that water 6 emerges from the submerged tank 4 and thetank 4 moves closer to the surface, gaining thrust.

The expansion and contraction of the captive air 5 in the submerged tank4, produced by the changes in the volume of air 5 due to the larger orsmaller water column borne by the tank 4 as it moves, sets up forces(weight of the tank and thrust of the tank) that are transmitted to thecentral floating body 1 through the pulleys 10 and the belts, chains orcables 11. These forces are added to the thrust or weight of the centralfloating body 1 due to the action of the buoyant forces, complementingtheir effects and increasing the forces harnessed and the effectivenessof the working travel runs.

When the central floating body 1 receives the thrust of the wave andstarts its upward travel, the submerged tank 4 starts its downwardtravel with a corresponding entry of water 6. The increased wave thrustis accompanied by a weight increase in the submerged tank 4, so that atthe end of the travel, when the thrust force or buoyant force of thewave in minimal, the weight of the tank 4, at its maximum at that point,then acts in such a way that the thrust force is complemented by theweight of the tank 4. On the other hand, when the wave thrust decreasesand the floating body 1 starts its downward travel, the submerged tank 4starts its upward travel accompanied by an exit of water 6 due toexpansion of the compressed captive air 5. The reduced wave thrust isaccompanied by increased thrust of the submerged tank 4 (since the water6 therein empties out with expansion of the compressed air 5), so thatat the end of this travel, when the reduction of wave thrust is minimal,the thrust of the tank 4, at its maximum at that point, then acts andthat thrust force of the central floating body 1 is thus complemented bythe thrust of the tank 4.

Rather than interfering with each other, both the central floating body1 and the submerged tank 4 boost and complement each other at the centreand at the ends of their respective vertical travel runs, with thethrusts or buoyant forces of the float 1 being added to the additionalthrust or weight of the submerged tank 4. This permits considerableharnessing of energy from waves 1.50 m high with frequencies of 8 to 10waves per minute.

The thrusts and weights of the floating body 1 are at their maximumbuoyant intensity at the centre of the vertical ascending and descendingtravel runs of the waves, while the weight and thrust of the submergedtank 4 act in the same direction, but with nil intensity at the centre(thrusts and weight compensated) and maximum intensity at the ends.There is therefore an alternation of buoyant actions between thefloating body 1 and the submerged tank 4 which tends to maintain theintensity of the force throughout the travel of the waves.

The complementary action between the central floating body 1 and theperipheral floating bodies 2 a, 2 b, 2 c has its origin:

-   -   in the particular arrangement of the tilting structure which        links the peripheral floating bodies 2 a, 2 b, 2 c with the        central floating body 1;    -   in the lower mass and inertia of the peripheral floating bodies        2 a, 2 b, 2 c in relation to the central floating body 1;    -   in the simultaneous action of the thrust or buoyant forces and        the gravity forces generated by the peripheral floating bodies 2        a, 2 b, 2 c themselves, which are transferred to the central        floating body 1 in each vertical run.

The tilting of the peripheral floating bodies 2 a, 2 b, 2 c has beenarranged at a distance from the central floating body 1 which isequivalent to wavelength of the waves, in such a way that the effects ofthrust and gravity coincide on both bodies.

The vertical movement to which the central floating body 1 is subjecteddue to the thrust forces caused by the waves and the pressures pull theperipheral floating bodies 2 a, 2 b, 2 c in the same direction andmanner. Due to their lower mass and inertia, however, these bodiesrespond first to the thrust and gravity at each direction change. Thetilting linkage structures 16, which attach them to the central floatingbody 1, thus transmit the resulting thrust or buoyant forces to therespective cylinder 17 of the central floating body 1, driving it andproducing compressed air at each change of direction or vertical travel.

Furthermore, the peripheral floating bodies 2 a, 2 b, 2 c are subjectedto an oscillatory movement due to the undulating movement of the sea andto their dimensions, which coincide with the wavelength of the seawaves. Their ends thus coincide alternately with the crests and/ortroughs of the waves. The tilting of the peripheral floating bodies 2 a,2 b, 2 c on the bars 19 and the lever 20 is transmitted horizontally tothe two cylinders 21 a, 21 b of each peripheral floating body 2 a, 2 b,2 c, which cylinders compress the compressed air from the respectivecylinder 17 of the central floating body 1. As explained above, thecylinders of the central floating body 1 and of the peripheral floatingbodies 2 a, 2 b, 2 c constitute a three-stage linear pneumatic pumpwhich convert the energy harnessed into pressurised air. The cylindersof each peripheral floating body 2 a, 2 b, 2 c are connected byconnecting ducts 27.

In order to double the air pressure in each stage the surface area ofeach cylinder has been reduced to half that of the preceding one, thuspermitting identical intake and compression strokes to be maintained.Thus, starting from an atmospheric pressure or 1 kg/cm2 at the intake ofthe first stage (cylinders 17 a, 17 b, 17 c) and applying forces thatsurpass the respective torques, the pressure increases to 2 kg/cm2 inthe second stage (cylinder 21 a of each of the peripheral floats) and to4 kg/cm2 in the third and final stage (cylinder 21 b of each of theperipheral floats).

Another complemented action of the system is that which originates inthe captive air 7 in the cavity of the floating body 1. The captive air7 in the cavity of the floating body 1 is at atmospheric pressure at theflotation line or line of neutral equilibrium of the whole. However, ifit is taken into account that sea water 6 enters the cavity, it will beunderstood that any vertical movement of the floating body 1 gives riseto a change in the volume of air 7 which translates into a pressure onthe ascent and a depression on the descent, which act on the interiorcover of the central floating body 1 dome. The captive air 7 expands orcontracts in the cavity of the central floating body 1 when it is sucked(during the descent) or subjected to pressure (during the ascent) by thewater housed in the cavity itself. The forces set up by the captive air7 are added to the forces of harnessing and release of the thrust and ofthe masses, at the direction changes, and therefore mean an increase ofthe working travel effected by the central floating body 1. Furthermore,the forces to which the captive air 7 give rise on the central floatingbody 1, by acting in a direction opposite to the thrust or weight of thesubmerged tank help, at the ends of the travel runs, to overcome andcounteract the negative force of the submerged tank 4. That is, theyassist the direction change of the central floating body 1.

FIGS. 5 to 9 show a second preferred embodiment of the system of theinvention which includes a central floating body 1, a peripheralfloating body 28 in the form of a circular ring attached to thestructure of vertical guides 12, and a submerged tank 4 of captive air 5of ring shape, attached to the said floating body 1 and open at itslower part to permit the entry of sea water 6.

The central floating body 1 is made up of two watertight receptacles 29,30, one upper receptacle 29 of truncated-cone shape and another lowerreceptacle 30 of cylindrical shape, which contain air 31 at a presetpressure. Both receptacles 29, 30 are traversed by a toothed rack 32which is secured longitudinally to the structure of vertical guides 12by means of cables 33 and tensioners 34. The toothed rack 32 engages oneach of its sides with two gearwheels 35 which convert the movement ofthe floating body 1 over the length of said rack 32 into the rotarymovement of two shafts with a particular working torque.

The submerged tank 4 is dynamically attached to the floating body 1through the pulleys 10 and the connecting cables or chains 11, so thatboth move vertically along the structure of vertical guides 12, and inan opposite direction to each other, under the effect of the force ofthe waves.

The toothed rack 32, with the cables 33 and tensioners 34 which secureit to the structure 12, and together with the connecting cables orchains 11 of the floating body 1 and the submerged tank 4, are arrangedinside telescopic tubes 36 which protect them from the direct action ofthe sea water. The pulleys 10, 15 of the system are also fitted inside abody 37 to protect them from the action of the sea water. Said body 37is mounted on a compensating plate located on the lower base of thevertical guides structure 12, which plate acts as a dynamic anchorage ofthe working forces, maintaining the position of the longitudinal toothedrack 32 at each direction change.

The peripheral floating body 28 of the preferred embodiment described isa float having a density of 0.5 g/cc designed to offset the weight ofthe guides structure 12, as well as the forces brought to bear by thesubmerged tank 4 and the central floating body 1, on the guidesstructure 12 itself. A fixed vertical position of the guides structure12 is thus achieved which is buffered from and unaffected by themovement and thrusts of the waves and takes advantage optimally andeffectively of both the buoyant forces which act on the central floatingbody 1 and the forces produced by the changes of water column on thecaptive air 5 of the submerged tank 4.

The structure of the submerged tank 4 is preferably designed with airchambers 39 whose function is to compensate the weight of the structureof the submerged tank 4 itself, so that the influence of the weight ofsaid structure on the system as a whole will be nil. This arrangementachieves the result that the forces generated by the submerged tank 4are transmitted optimally and effectively to the central floating body1.

The watertight lower receptacle 30 of the central floating body 1includes four pneumatic cylinders 40 which drive a moving platform 41situated on the upper watertight receptacle 29 of the floating body 1itself. The means for transmitting the movement of the floating body 1and the means for converting the movement into energy are mounted onthat platform 41.

Mechanical transmission of the movement of the floating body 1 to theenergy converting means is carried out by the four gearwheels 35 engagedin the toothed rack 32 arranged longitudinally, which convert thestraight-line movement of the floating body 1 into a rotary movement oftwo shafts. That rotary movement is in turn transmitted to a rotationinverter 42 with unidirectional output, which transmits the movement ofa single drive shaft and the working force to a multiplier whose outputis regulated by a variable speed device 44 and transmitted to a flywheel45. In the preferred embodiment described the movement of the driveshaft is finally transmitted to two shafts 46 which in turn drive twoelectricity generators 47. In other preferred embodiments not shown,however, the movement of the drive shaft can be used to actuate apneumatic energy compressor, reverse osmosis membranes equipment fordesalinating sea water or, for example, hydrogen production equipment.

The means of mechanical transmission of the energy described in thepreceding paragraph are designed so that the system works perfectly withwaves of 1.5 to 4.5 metres in height and frequencies of between 5.5 and7 per minute, obtaining in this working range a drive shaft rotationspeed between 900 and 1500 r.p.m.

The pneumatic cylinders 40 located in the lower watertight receptacleeach include two chambers 48, 49, one upper chamber 48 and another lowerchamber 49, separated by the piston 50 of the cylinder 40. The upperchamber 48 is connected to the submerged tank 4 of captive air 5 throughflexible pipes 51, arranged on wheels 52 with circular guides thatenable them to be reeled in and out. The pressure of the air 5 in theupper chamber 48 of the cylinders 40 is equal to the pressure of thecaptive air 5 in the submerged tank 4, since both elements are connectedby the flexible pipes 51. The lower chamber 49 of the cylinders 40 isopen at its base and is therefore subjected to the pressure of the air31 contained in the free spaces of the lower watertight receptacle 30 ofthe floating body 1.

In calm-sea position, as shown in FIG. 7, the pressure of the air 31contained in the free spaces of the lower watertight receptacle 30 isequal to the pressure of the air 5 in the submerged tank. In thisposition the platform 41 is at an intermediate point in its travel andthe piston 50 of each cylinder 40, which separates the two chambers 48,49, is in its intermediate position, since the air pressure in the twochambers 48, 49 is the same.

In the preferred embodiment described, the pneumatic cylinders 40 act asexchangers of the volume of captive air 5 in the submerged tank 4, sothat any vertical movement produces a change in the volume of air 5 inthe upper chambers 48 of the cylinders 40 and the submerged tank 4.

The complemented conversion of energy of the preferred embodiment shownin FIGS. 6 to 9 is due to the complementary action exerted:

-   -   between the central floating body 1 and the submerged tank 4;    -   in the central floating body 1 itself, due to the action of the        pneumatic cylinders 40 on the drivable platform 41.

The complemented action between the central floating body 1 and thesubmerged tank 4 originates in the exchanges of captive air 5 volume inthe upper chambers 48 of the pneumatic cylinders 40 and in the submergedtank 4, due to the changes of water column 6 borne by the tank 4.

FIG. 6 shows how, as the central floating body 1 moves away from thesurface and the water column 6 borne by the submerged tank 4 begins toincrease, water enters the tank and the captive air 5 it contains istransferred, through the flexible pipes 51, to the upper chambers 48 ofthe pneumatic cylinders 40. On the other hand, as FIG. 8 shows, when thethrust of the waves on the central floating body 1 begins to decreaseand so too does the water column 6 borne by the submerged tank 4, wateremerges from the tank, so the air 5 in the upper chambers 48 of thepneumatic cylinders 40 is transferred to the submerged tank 4 throughthe flexible pipes 51.

The pressure changes and exchange of volumes of air 5 between the upperchambers 48 of the pneumatic cylinders 40 and the submerged tank 4,produced by changes in the water column 6 borne by the submerged tank 4as it moves, give rise to forces (weight of the tank and thrust of thetank) that are transmitted to the central floating body 1 through thepulleys 10 and the chains or cables 11, with maximum intensity of forcespractically from the start of the working travel of the floating body 1.

Indeed, in the preferred embodiment described, the small variations ofthe water column 6 that occur when the ascending or descending travel ofthe floating body 1 is only just starting give rise to an exchange ofair volumes 5 between the upper chambers 48 of the cylinders 40 and thesubmerged tank 4, which are translated into forces (weight of the tankand thrust of the tank) which act with maximum intensity of forcespractically from the start of the working travel of the central floatingbody 1. These forces are added to the thrust or weight of the centralfloating body 1, due to the action of the buoyant forces andcomplementing their effects, with maximum intensity from practically thestart of the travel, and they further accelerate the cyclical directionchanges of the central floating body 1 at the ends of the travel runs.

The other complemented action observed in the preferred embodiment ofthe system as shown in FIGS. 5 to 9 has its origin in the centralfloating body 1 itself, and is due to the action of the pneumaticcylinders 40 on the moving platform 41.

When the central floating body 1 starts its ascending travel due to thethrust of the wave, the water column 6 borne by the submerged tank 4increases, the pressure of the water column 6 leading to the volume ofair 5 in the tank 4 being transferred to the upper chambers 48 of thepneumatic cylinders 40. The pressure of the air 5 in the upper chambers48 of the cylinders 40 thus increases, driving the pistons 50 of thosecylinders 40 downwards and thereby causing actuation of the movingplatform 41 which carries out its ascending travel. The ascendingmovement of the platform 41 is transmitted to the gearwheels 35 of thetransmission system which rests on the platform 41 itself, whichgearwheels 35 are meshed in the toothed rack 32, resulting in a workingtravel which is added to that effected by the central floating body 1itself due to the buoyant forces.

When the force of the wave decreases and the floating body 1 begins itsdescending travel, the water column 6 borne by the submerged tank 4decreases, leading the reduction of the pressure of that water column 6,to the transfer of the volume of air 5 in the upper chamber 48 of thepneumatic cylinders 40 to the submerged tank 4. The pressure of air 5 ofthe upper chambers 48 of the cylinders 40 thus decreases in relation tothe air pressure 5 of the lower chambers 49, which due to their beingopen at their base have the same preset air pressure 31 as that of thelower receptacle 30 of the central floating body 1. Thus the pressuredifference between said chambers 48, 49 causes the piston to be drivenupwards, thereby causing actuation of the platform 41 which implementsits descending travel. The descending movement of the platform 41 istransmitted to the gearwheels 35 engaged in the toothed rack 32,resulting in a working travel which is added to that carried out by thecentral floating body 1 itself due to the buoyant forces.

The forces generated with the change of pressures and exchange of airvolumes 5 between the upper chambers 48 of the pneumatic cylinders 40and the submerged tank 4 are used by the central floating body's 1cylinders 40 themselves to drive the moving platform 41 on which thetransmission mechanisms of the central floating body's 1 movements aresituated, thus extending the working travel runs of the floating body 1,so that the system's energy conversion is complemented thereby.

1. System for multiple harnessing and complemented conversion of energyfrom sea waves, which includes a central floating body (1), means(23,47) for converting the movement of the system into pneumatic,electrical or hydraulic energy, provided or otherwise inside same, andmeans of transmission (26) of said energy to dry land or to a structure,wherein it includes a structure of vertical guides (12) along which saidcentral floating body (1) moves, a submerged captive-air (5) tank (4)open at its lower base, held up by said floating body (1) and alsomovable along said structure of vertical guides (12), means (10, 11) fortransmitting the movement of said floating body (1) to said submergedtank (4), with the body (1) and the tank (4) so arranged that themovement of the submerged tank (4) is contrary to that of the centralfloating body (1), the movement of the central floating body (1) and ofthe submerged tank (4) being transmitted via means(9,24,32,35,42,43,44,45) of transmission of the movement to said meansof conversion (23, 47) of the movement into pneumatic, electrical orhydraulic energy.
 2. System according to claim 1, wherein it includes atleast one peripheral floating body (28) having a density of 0.5 g/cc,attached to said structure (12) of vertical guides.
 3. System accordingto claim 1, wherein said central floating body includes a receptacle(30) with air (31) under pressure, at least one pneumatic actuatormounted inside said receptacle, with the upper chamber (48) of saidactuator connected to the submerged tank (4) and the lower chamber (49),which is open at its base and exposed to the air (31) under pressure ofsaid receptacle (30).
 4. System according to claim 3, wherein theat-least-one pneumatic actuator is a cylinder (40).
 5. System accordingto claim 1, wherein said movement transmission means include a rotationinverter (9, 42), a multiplier (43), a variable speed device (44) and aflywheel (24, 45).
 6. System according to claim 5, wherein said means ofmovement transmission further include a toothed rack (32) engaging ateach of its sides two gearwheels (35).
 7. System according to claim 4,wherein in that the piston rod (50) of said at-least-one pneumaticcylinder (40) includes means for driving a moving platform (41) locatedon the upper receptacle (29) of the central floating body (1) andtraversed by the toothed rack (32), with the gearwheels (35) mountedrotating on the platform (41).
 8. System according to claim 1, whereinthe means for conversion of the movement into energy comprise at leastone electrical generator (47), one pneumatic pump (23) or one hydraulicpump.
 9. System according to claim 6, wherein it includes telescopictubes (36) which house at least the means of transmission (10,11) of themovement of the floating body (1) to the submerged tank (4) and thetoothed rack (32).
 10. System according to claim 1, wherein it includesa plurality of modules, each of which has a central floating body (1)and a submerged captive-air (5) tank (4), attached to the centralfloating body (1).
 11. System according to claim 1, wherein said centralfloating body (1) has a cavity containing captive air (7) inside it. 12.System according to claim 1, wherein it includes a plurality ofperipheral floating bodies (2 a, 2 b, 2 c), attached to said centralfloating body (1) by means of tilting attachment structures (16). 13.System according to claim 12, wherein said means of converting themovement into energy further include a plurality of pneumatic cylinders(17 a, 17 b, 17 c, 21 a, 21 b) actuated by said tilting attachmentstructures (16).
 14. System according to claim 12, wherein saidperipheral floating bodies (2 a, 2 b, 2 c) each include two peripheralpneumatic cylinders (21 a, 21 b) which compress the air from one of thecylinders (17 a, 17 b, 17 c) of the central floating body (1), thetilting structure (16) of each one of the central floating body (1)cylinders (17 a, 17 b, 17 c) including a bar (19) articulated at one endonto the rod of said cylinder (17) and at the other end onto a lever(20) whose ends are in turn articulated onto the ends of the peripheralpneumatic cylinder (21 a, 21 b) rods, with the distance between the twopoints of articulation onto said bar (19) being substantially the sameas the distance between the crest and the trough of a wave.
 15. Systemaccording to claim 14, wherein one of the two peripheral pneumaticcylinders (21 a, 21 b) compresses the air from the other peripheralpneumatic cylinder.
 16. System according to claim 15, wherein each oneof the pneumatic cylinders (17 a, 17 b, 17 c) of the central floatingbody (1) and the two corresponding peripheral pneumatic cylinders (21 a,21 b) constitutes three-stage linear pneumatic pumps.
 17. Systemaccording to claim 8, wherein the compressed air produced by the systemis stored in the chambers of each one of said peripheral floating bodies(2 a, 2 b, 2 c).
 18. System according to claim 8, wherein the systemfurther includes a number of reverse osmosis membranes for directlyconverting the hydraulic energy obtained into desalinated water.